Today’s News

Terminally Ill Simpsons Co-Creator Donates Millions to Charity

Sam Simon, a co-creator of The Simpsons who currently works as a consultant on FX's Anger Management, was diagnosed with terminal colon cancer at the beginning of the year and is donating his fortune to various charities.

Simon left The Simpsons in 1993, but is still listed as an executive producer and earns "tens of millions" of dollars a year in royalties from the longstanding show, he tells The Hollywood Reporter.

Much of Simon's philanthropy is focused on animals. The Sam Simon Foundation in Malibu takes in stray dogs and also provides vegan meals to hungry humans, and another of his facilities rescues dogs from kill shelters and trains them to be therapy dogs for the deaf. Simon has also made sizable donations to PETA, Save the Children, and the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society for marine conservation, according to THR.

"The truth is, I have more money than I'm interested in spending," Simon tells THR. "Everyone in my family is taken care of. And I enjoy this."

Simon was given three to six months to live when he was diagnosed five months ago. He was married twice — once to actress Jennifer Tilly and once to Playboy Playmate Jami Ferrell — and has no children.